NEW YORK, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka subdued American Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-3 on Sunday to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals without dropping a set.
The world number one had endured a frustrating build-up to the year’s final major but has hit her stride at Flushing Meadows and she slammed her foot on the gas in the second set against the home-crowd favourite, sealing victory with a backhand winner.
She will next play the Czech Republic's Wimbledon champion LindaNoskova.
"What an incredible player she is approaching the net, what a great returner," said Sabalenka. "Very brave, you can see how focused she was. It was really challenging playing her, especially here."
Any expectation of a one-sided contest between the top-ranked Sabalenka and world number 96 Townsend quickly disappeared as they traded two breaks apiece in the opening four games at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sabalenka broke with a backhand to the corner in the fifth game andagain in the seventh, firing a forehand winner to seize the advantage, but Townsend responded immediately by breaking to love.
The Belarusian held firm when it mattered, however, saving a break point with an unreturnable serve before closing out the opening set in the 10th game.
Townsend tamed Sabalenka's fearsome serve to move 3-1 up in the second set but a double fault handed the break straight back and shifted the momentum decisively.
Sabalenka then sprinted through the final four games to book her spot in the last eight.
"Really aggressive style of the game. Serving really well, playing super fast," said Sabalenka. "You've got to stay really low to be able to handle that power and energy."
A familiar opponent awaits in Noskova, whom Sabalenka beat on the way to the Indian Wells title this year.
The Belarusian is defending both her U.S. Open crown and her world number one ranking in New York, with three other players still able to overtake her.
She has repeatedly been asked about the pressure surrounding her bid to stay at the top but said she was shutting out the speculation.
"I completely separate myself from that (conversation), because it's just guessing. It's like 'if, if, if, if'. I feel like for me, I'm just focusing on myself," she told reporters.
"I'm just trying to bring my best tennis every time I'm competing out there and basically fight for it."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
